


Ghetto Married

by Harringrovefic



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Child Abuse, Derogatory Language, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Racist Language, Slow Burn, Smut, domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2019-11-09 04:27:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17994824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harringrovefic/pseuds/Harringrovefic
Summary: “Well I guess so, since Steve and Billy are ghetto married now,” Jim says casually, popping a grape into his mouth.Steve looks around, the whole party is there. Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce, the kids, everyone. They all nod nonchalantly as if Hop didn’t just say he was fuckingmarried.He clears his throat. “Excuse me what?”---------------------------------The months leading up to Billy and Steve's eventual relationship.There's anger, there's tears, there's pining, there's sex.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Saw something a while back about Billy being a uhauler and got inspired. Also the term "ghetto married" is shamlessly stolen from the show Shameless. Hope you enjoy! Comment and leave kudos! <3

“Well I guess so, since Steve’s ghetto married now,” Jim says casually, popping a grape into his mouth.

Steve looks around, the whole party is there. Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce, the kids, everyone. They all nod nonchalantly as if Hop didn’t just say he was fucking _married_. Nancy and Mike seemed to be the only two confused as well. He clears his throat. “Excuse me what?” he asks, making sure to coat his voice in sarcasm. 

Hop looks up. “Ghetto married,” he repeats like this is some obvious thing everyone is supposed to know about like cheese. “You know when you’ve got someone you’re screwing-”

He’s cut off by Jonathan. “And it becomes a little more than screwing but neither of you really talk about that.”

“And that person’s kind of acting like your spouse,” Lucas chimes in. 

“Doing your laundry, cleaning your house, cooking your food,” Max continues.

“Puttin’ out whenever you want,” Hop says. 

“And you don’t have to do a _damn_ thing. Probably don’t even deserve it but that person does everything for you and makes themselves available to you whenever possible,” Joyce finishes, sipping her evening coffee. 

“Ghetto married,” the room says in unison and Steve sits there stunned. For starters, he wasn’t aware that the group was so observant of his and Billy’s...friendship? Relationship? Whatever it was, clearly they knew more about it than him! Him and Billy aren’t ghetto married are they? If they are, Steve’s been a horrible fucking husband.  


\---

  


It’s been about a month since Billy apologized. Though it was obvious that he was sincere, the party didn’t just welcome him into the group or anything. Afterall, he was still kind of an asshole. But his behavior did change quite drastically since the fight even before he apologized to everyone. He was quieter. Billy used to be someone whose presence filled an entire room. Nowadays, he seemed to take up less space. He still hung around Tommy and Carol at school and sometimes after but he didn’t really party as much anymore and he didn’t go out of his way to be seen and heard. 

Since Billy was the king, the whole was school watching and everyone had some commentary. Some good, some bad. Thing was, Billy has ceased to care. Over the years, living with Neil and his constant abuse, he became exactly what he never wanted to be. The only things on his mind were to find himself again—his happy, loving, carefree self—and getting as far away from Neil as possible. 

This change in attitude should have made Neil happy. Billy not only didn’t complain about driving Max around, he didn’t even bat an eye at it. She had become comfortable enough to knock on his door and ask him herself! Like damn, talk about a 180. But Neil was twisted. He didn’t actually want Billy to become a respectful and responsible brother or human being. He just wanted Billy as miserable as possible. So now that Billy couldn’t be punished for being mean to Max or coming home loaded at three in the morning, Neil sought out any opportunity to make Billy feel like shit. 

After another month, Billy just being quieter because he was more level-headed, turned into his silence being due to him just being fucking miserable. He ate lunch in his car if he ate at all, he never went out. The only time he seemed even remotely happy was in practice and in games and even there he put a lot of pressure on himself.  


\---

  
“He’s nice now, maybe we should give him chance.”

“WHAT!?! No way. You’re buggin’ man.”

“He does look sad all the time.”

“He even dropped Dustin off that one time.”

“Yeah, most awkward car ride of my life.”

“Yeah but he did it.”

“What about that time he gave us the change in his glove compartment at the arcade?”

“Dude, this doesn’t mean he’s a saint. I mean, we’re praising him for doing the bare minimum. That’s like red flags.”

“What if when he’s happy again, he starts acting like an asshole again? Ever thought about that? He’s only nice ‘cause he doesn’t have the energy to be a dick.”

“Why is he so depressed anyway?”

“Don’t know. Him and his dad fight a lot. Always have though. I don’t how that could change things.”

That’s when Hopper takes more notice. El too. “Fight how?”

Max looks up, still eerily nonchalant about the whole thing which is concerning to everyone currently sitting in Joye Beyer’s living room waiting for Jonathan to finish preparing dinner. 

“Well, there’s just a lot of yelling.” The concern of everyone, namely the adults around her, make her more hesitant to speak as she realizes this could be more serious than she thought. She knows this means she needs to tell everything.

“ _A lot_ of yelling. When I see them fight...that’s all there is. But when they’re in Billy’s room…” She trails off. 

“What is it Max?” Hopper presses, gently but kurtly. Clearly in police mode.

“I hear things. Bumps, grunts. Crashes, like something’s breaking. I guess I never thought anything of it because Billy never seemed hurt after. Back home when he’d have a bruise he said it was from a fight. He was so mean, I just believed him…”

The room is quiet, no, _silent_. Joyce knew exactly what excuses like “fights” and “falling” were. 

A burning smell broke the silence. “Shit,” Jonathan cursed, picking up a spoon to stir his sauce.

“Is… there anything...that can be done?” He asks, out breath from aggressively stirring. 

“Not if Billy doesn’t come forward.” Hopper starts.

“He won’t.” Max interjects quietly. 

“And not if he doesn’t have any proof,” Hopper continues. “Physical proof,” he clarifies.

“His attitude is proof enough,” Steve pipes up for the first time on this topic of Billy.

It’s silent again until dinner is ready and they start up normal conversation, trying to carry on like Billy Hargrove of all people is not lingering in the backs of their minds.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy slips into old habits and a basketball game turns tragic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves, another chapter. I'll probably never update this quickly again but I've been in a creative mood lately. As always, comment and leave kudos and I hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> WARNING: Racist language used in this chapter.

“Hey man,” Tommy says, plopping down across from Billy in the cafeteria, a slightly confused Carol on his arm. Billy hadn’t eaten with them in almost three weeks. How could Tommy act so normal?

Billy nodded and bit into his apple. 

Tommy may want to act like nothing changed but Carol sure as hell wasn’t about to. “Done ditching us?” she asked with bite.

Billy opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off. 

“You know, our last friend ditched us to. You should remember him, you were kind of obsessed with him.”

“Carol,”

She holds her finger to Tommy’s lips, keeping eye contact with the boy across the table. 

“But at least he was chasing pussy. You left us for your _car_ ,” Carol’s eyes were fierce and Tommy looked mortified. His gaze flickered back and forth from Carol to Billy. 

Billy sat there cooly, his expression neutral. After what seemed like _forever_ in Tommy’s book, he sighed. “You’re right,” Carol was taken aback by that. Billy looked at his shocked friends, ‘cause yeah, Tommy and Carol were his friends, and chuckled. “I shouldn’t have blown you guys off like that. I’ve just been in a weird mood lately. Take me back?” And there was a semblance of the old Billy in that. Kind of cocky and very tonguey. 

The couple smiled at each other and then at Billy. Tommy attempts the Billy Hargrove smile and tongue wag, “Yeah, I guess we’ll take you back,” he says. 

Billy bats his eyes at Carol who smirks, “Fine!” 

“Cool,” Billy says. “And I wasn’t _obsessed_ ,” he says, pointing at her. 

“ _Sure_.”

\---

“Look who’s back,” Jon says, nodding in Billy’s direction.

Nancy looks up and Steve looks behind him. 

“Guess he’s feeling better,” Nancy says. 

“Yeah, we’ll see what that means,” Steve mumbles.

\---

For a week, Billy’s in a pretty damn good mood. He’s started taking up more space again, but in the same as before. Not with arrogance and intimidation. He kind of just looks stupidly happy. It’s nice.

“Wait, you like...hang out with now?”

“Yeah, we sit in his room and listen to tapes. It’s fun.”

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just that you said you have _fun_ with Billy.”

“Yeah, he’s cool when he’s not being a dick. Besides, the fight was months ago. We’ve moved on, you guys should too. He hasn’t hurt anyone else since and I don’t think he’s going to.”

“When is he not being a dick, Max?”

“You don’t even know him! Just leave him alone.”

\---

“Hey man,” Tommy approaches Billy in the parking lot after school. “I wasn’t gonna say anything but if you like ever need a place to crash or anything, you can stay by me. My parents won’t care,” Tommy’s rubbing his neck and shuffling his feet nervously. And he has good reason to considering Billy is _glaring_ at him.

“Why are you telling me this?” he asks, anger creeping into his tone.

Tommy gives him a knowing look, but Billy doesn’t budge. Tommy lowers his voice. “Look man, I know you saw that I saw what happened the other day...with your dad out back behind the hardware store.”

Billy moves closer to him a little too quickly and Tommy startles, putting his hands up in defense. “I’m not gonna tell anyone. I didn’t even tell Carol. I’m just trying to help a friend a ou-”

Tommy is taken by his jacket collar and has a very enraged Billy Hargrove in his face. “Listen H, you wanna be my friend, you stay the _hell_ out of my business!” Billy growls. 

Then, just as quickly as he grabbed him, he lets Tommy go. Realization set in like a ton of bricks and he longer saw red, just his fearful peer. He smooths Tommy’s jacket out and looks him in the eyes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that. I’m gonna go now.” 

Tommy just nods, still a little frightened and kind of confused. 

Billy turns and gets in his Camaro, unaware of the parking lot full of people, watching him as he left. 

“I knew it,” Nancy says, still looking after Billy’s long gone Camaro. “People like Billy don’t change.”

\---

The Tuesday after the Friday night dinner discussion of Billy, Billy and Steve were—once again—carrying the team through a basketball game. The crowd screamed their names as they bounded up and down the court stealing the ball from the other team, blocking shots, and scoring baskets. Billy was really in his element when he played, he looked happy and loose, yet focused and determined.

“Damn, Hargrove’s a natural!” some dude in the crowd whoops. Everyone in earshot whoop and nod in agreement. 

“He’s actually kind of sweet when he smiles for real,” a girl says softly to her friends, who giggle. 

The party was, of course, there for Steve. They cheered him on almost every game. The kids stuffed themselves with concessions, Joyce is always happy to support her kids, Nancy and Jonathan had become quite close with Steve, and Hopper secretly enjoyed cheering his high school team on. The air was light and happy because the game was close but Hawkins was still in the lead thanks to Billy and Steve’s constant baskets. It was fun...until Neil Hargrove entered. 

So focused on the game, the party doesn’t see him until he sits in their row, spotting Max’s fiery hair. Max’s, who was currently sitting next to Lucas hand in hand. 

A man in the row above them claps him on his shoulder, “Your kid’s great man,” he yells over the crowd, beaming at Neil. That’s when they notice him. Lucas and Max tear away from each other.

“I’m sure he is,” Neil responds disingenuously, making the man’s smile go awkward. He clears his throat and looks back to the game. Neil does the same for a moment before turning to Max, “Hey Max,” he says, feigning happiness once again. But his voice and his eyes say what everyone knows he’s thinking. The look he gives Lucas only confirms it. Now it’s Hopper’s turn to clear _his_ throat. And Neil’s not an idiot. He wouldn’t have gotten away with hurting Billy all these years if he was. He doesn’t push, just simply turns a stoic gaze back to the game, or rather, his son. 

Billy is smiling as he steals the ball from the other team. He can’t help but indulge. He’s really fuckin’ good at this game and he thinks this is a healthier way of exuding and enjoying control. 

He’s dribbling low, blocking his opponent who’s flush against him, attempting to get the ball back, when he looks up and sees Neil in the crowd. And sitting next to Max and Lucas, who are completely rigid, for that matter. His smile drops and he looks terrified, goes ghost white almost. His team on the bench turn around, attempting to see what he’s staring at, meanwhile, the other team steals the ball back and scores. 

“What in the?” Coach yells with his hands at the side of his head like he’s attempting to block out a tragedy. “Hargrove, what are you doing?” Coach is pissed and Billy is barely moving. He’s lost in the quiet rage of his father’s eyes. He knows he’s due for a punishment. A severe one. First, for daring to be happy. Second, for Max hanging with Lucas. Third, for playing under a black coach. His mind travels to years ago.

\---

Billy discovered basketball peeping in while Neil watched on the tv. His young eleven year old self was so intrigued by the speed of the game. Billy’s always loved chasing a rush. He tried to build up his courage.

“Sir?” he asked timidly. Neil grunted in response. “Can I do that?” Billy asks, pointing at the tv.  
To his surprise, Neil not only agreed, but went to the school to talk to the coach the very next day. Upon seeing the coach however, Neil’s mouth twisted and he spat at the coach’s feet, dragging Billy out and all but throwing him back into the car. 

“Ain’t no way you playin’ for some nigger,” Neil spits again before entering the driver’s seat. Billy starts crying then, “Please, dad? _Please_?” he begs. Neil punches him in the chest and Billy cries harder. “You ain’t never playin’ under no nigger coach. Ever. And that’s final,” Neil growls. Billy settled for working on his shots at the court at his neighborhood park. A few years later at a different school, Billy was able to play. 

Fast forward to Hawkins and Billy is approaching his dad in the same way. “You know my rule,” Neil says chillingly and Billy replies with a “Yes, sir,” before going to his room and forging his dad’s signature on his form. What Neil didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and he was just ripped from everything he cared about, basketball was all he had right now.

\---

After full minutes of Billy just _standing_ there, coach calls a timeout. Billy walks mummy-like to the huddle, still staring at Neil. Coach is fuming, the opposing team is now ten points ahead with mere minutes left in the game! How could Billy blow their lead? What’s gotten into him? Some girl in the crowd lookin’ pretty? He needs to get his head back in the game!

His anger just turns to concern as Billy still never takes his eyes off his father, trying to communicate through his eyes his case—he tried but she wouldn’t listen, he’s sorry, he’ll make sure she never sees him again, he’ll quit the team, he just really wanted to play ball, he’s sorry sir—though he knows it’s futile. Neil was pissed and Billy was going to feel his full wrath. “Billy?” coach has ceased his yelling and is looking at Billy concerned because Billy looks like he’s about to throw up. He hears crashing waves in his ears and his heart is the only part of his body he can feel. Coach grabs his shoulder, “Son, you alright?” 

The firm touch kind of snaps him out of it and nods his head. As the team hands him water and a towel, he pumps himself up again. He’s got a game to finish, he’s not a quitter and if this is gonna be his last game, he was going to shred it. Leave it all on the court. And just like that, he’s back to killing it. 

With Billy’s head back on straight, he and Steve easily make up the points. Steve throws a five pointer right at the buzzer and they win 96-90. The crowd sprints from the bleachers onto the court, picking the team up and cheering. Billy’s sad it’s over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Tell me what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is help even tangible? Even if it is, is Billy ready to accept it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmk, so I lied, this update came pretty quick. Hopefully I can keep this energy, but it's midterms week and I'm homesick. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy. Leave me comments! I love hearing from you guys! <3
> 
> WARNING: Homophobic language used in this chapter as well as semi-graphic child and domestic abuse.

When all the celebrating is over, the team heads into the locker room for a post game pep talk and, as usual, the captains stay back to talk to coach about plays and such. The party typically waits for Steve in the gym to congratulate him and tell him how cool he is. Billy usually leaves out back and his car was always gone before they made it outside. But now that Billy has a cheerleader of his own, they figured that’d change tonight. 

Neil waits with them—awkwardly—and when Steve finally walks out on his own, Neil squints his eyes. Max speaks up. “He usually leaves out the back way,” she rushes out. “He’ll be here,” Neil says so surely that it’s creepy. His entire presence is chilling, like a predator hovering over its prey. Cold, mean, and hungry.

\---

“Billy, I can try to help you but you’re gonna have to be honest with me, son”

“Everything’s fine at home, sir. My dad never comes to my games, that’s why I was so surprised.”

He’s leaning over coach Simms’s desk, putting on that same charm he did in the Wheelers’ kitchen all those months ago. But unlike the neglected and unknowing housewife, coach wasn’t buying it. He never bought it actually, but now he’s seen where this facade comes from and it was a hell of a lot more than his previous thoughts about young male bravado. 

“Billy, are you sure? You think I don’t notice when you move a little more stiffly when you decide to keep your shirt on? And don’t give me that crap about fights. This town is small and ain’t nobody showin’ up having been beaten by you. Kid, I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to live like this.”

Billy just stands there with his lips pressed together. He’s _screaming_ on the inside. _Speak_. But he can’t, not after what happened the last time.

\---

Billy was only six when he experienced his first career day at school. Neil didn’t come of course, but that was fine. At school, Billy was free. No mean daddy coming to interrupt his playtime to call him a fagget, whatever that means. Jack’s dad was next to talk and he was a police officer.  
Billy had to lean his head _all_ the way back just to see the man’s face. He was tall and strong and everything Billy wanted to be.

“So kids, when you have an emergency or you’re in trouble, you dial 9-1-1 on the telephone and someone will help you.”

“What if you can’t get to a telephone?” a little blonde girl piped up. 

“Good question, so kids, if you can’t get to a telephone, try to just get somewhere safe. Now, you all live in Milton County. This is really good because the police station is just five blocks right and then three blocks left from there. You get there, and an officer will help you, you’ll be safe.”

Billy sometimes needed help. Sometimes when his daddy or even his mommy got angry, Billy needed help. They yelled, they hit, Billy cried, Billy hurt. _9-1-1. Five blocks right, three blocks left_. Billy repeated those instructions in his head over and over again. 

The next time Billy needed help he did what the officer said to. 

Billy was drawing in his room when his dad walked by. He said that F-faggot word again and entered. Billy continued drawing until his paper was snatched from under him. “What the fuck are you doing anyway?” Neil spit, looking at the paper.

“Daddy!” Billy cried, reaching for his picture. 

“Where the fuck did you get glitter from?”

“School.”

“What did I tell you about this queer shit? Huh? What is wrong with you?”

Billy screams as his father wacks him across the face. He’s never done _that_ before. Alarm bells go off in his head and he remembers officer Jack’s dad’s words. _Get to a safe place. Five blocks right, three blocks left_. Billy runs for it. “Get back here, Billy!” Neil calls after him, but Billy runs as fast as his little legs can go. 

When he gets to the station, the world seems to slow. There’s a lot of men like Jack’s dad. Billy doesn’t know what to do or who to tell. A man, about his father’s age, light brown hair and dark brown eyes, bends down to greet him. “Hey, there buddy. You lost or-” the man stops talking when he sees Billy’s plump, red cheek. He takes Billy’s face in his hands to observe. 

“Oh, shit. Who did this to you, buddy?”

Billy sniffles, “My daddy.”

“Ok, let me take you to my boss. You did the right thing coming here.” Billy marvels at the praise. The man picks Billy up and walks him further into the station. Eventually, he knocks on a big wooden door. “Captain,” he calls, opening the door.

“Yeah?” a husky voice calls from inside. 

“This little one just ran in here and he says his daddy gave him this,” the man says, gesturing to Billy’s cheek. 

Billy looks at the man and recognizes him immediately. It’s his daddy’s friend, Howie. Howie’s nice. Nicer than his dad. He’s never seen Howie like this, in a decorated uniform and all official-like. He always sees him before him and his dad go fishing or to the bar, in light wash denim and a plain white tee. 

“Oh, I see,” Howie says, getting up from the desk. “Thank you, Sanders. I’ll take it from here,” he says, taking Billy from the man. “Alrighty then,” Officer Sanders obliges. “See ya, buddy,” he says as he exits the office and Billy gives him a small wave goodbye. 

Howie sits Billy in one of the big leather chairs in front of his desk and says he’ll be right back.

\---

Howie exits his office with a deep sigh. He walks over to Sanders’s desk and dials a number he knows by heart. “Yeah, Neil? Yeah, he’s here man.”

“What are you doing?”

“Yes, and look Neil, lighten up just a bit huh? I mean, his face. I know, yeah I know, but people are gonna be asking questions man you can’t just lose it like that. Alright, see you in a bit.” He hangs up the phone and Sanders is about to say something but Howie gives him a look that says he can pick up his shit and go if he so much as utters one syllable. Sanders settles for a disappointed head shake and goes back to his paperwork. 

Billy sits and kicks his feet in Howie’s chair while holding an ice pack to his cheek until the door opens. He feels like he dies when he turns and sees his father standing there.

“No!” he cries and looks at Howie, betrayed. Howie just stares at him emotionlessly. 

“Let’s go, Billy,” Neil says, moving to pick up his son.

“No!” Billy cries again and tries to run around Howie’s desk. But Howie grabs him and hands him to his father. Billy just screams and cries the whole way home. 

As he takes his punishment for running out, he resents the words, _Someone will help you, you’ll be safe_. Billy would never be safe as long as Neil was around. No one was gonna save him.

\---

“Really, sir, I’m ok.”

Coach sighs and walks around his desk and opens a drawer. He pulls out a card and gives it to Billy. “If you change your mind, this is my number.”

Billy takes it and smiles. Then he’s walking out to his face his biggest fear.

\---

“Steve, you were so good.”

“Oh my god, when you faked that guy out!”

“Ooooh oooh oooh! And when you made that layup with like eight of those guys on you.”

“There’s only five people on the court per team guys.”

“Yeah but still. OH and that last shot man, you _killed_ that.”

“That’s my boy!” Neil’s voice breaks through the excitement when he sees Billy emerging from the locker room. It sounds predatory, laced with the kind of promising that makes your skin crawl. Neil is smiling like he’s in on some joke no one else knows about. Billy’s returning smile is forced. 

“Thank you for coming sir,” the fear is evident in his voice and he resents.

“I’m glad I didn’t miss it,” Billy’s heart sinks. All he can think is that Neil has never been to one of his games before. Neil never gave a rat’s ass about basketball. But anything that made Billy happy, Neil was destined to destroy. But why this game? Why when Max came and was so close to Lucas? Just _why_? 

“Gotta be more careful though, son. Game almost got away from you there.”

This was Neil’s favorite thing to do, victimize him in front of others because it made Billy feel even more helpless. Help was right within reach but his arms were far too short. A haunting silence fell over the room. 

“You were really good, Billy,” Max is the one to break it. 

“Yeah, you were great.”

“Good job.”

“You played really well.”

The awkward compliments flowed out. Billy nodded and attempted to smile at each of them but his skin was _hot_ and his head was spinning and he couldn’t think of anything other than Neil’s lingering gaze. 

“Well,” Neil’s voice boomed once again, startling everyone. “Goodnight, me and my boy are going home. See you later, Max.”

Neil claps a hand on Billy’s shoulder and they start walking out. As soon as they’re in the car, Billy is struck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed! I love this chapter because it gets into Billy's background and childhood. Tumblr: @harringrovefics and @maccircle


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and the party discuss letting Billy into the group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. College is kicking my ass. Also, I never intended for this to be a slow burn or have so much about the kids, but here we are. Anyway, hope you enjoy! Leave me comments! <3

When Max wakes up the next morning, Susan is sitting patiently at the kitchen table, waiting for her to be ready. 

“Mom?” she yawns, getting her attention. 

Susan looks up, a little startled, but smiles. “Hey, sweetheart. Go get ready for school. I’ll drive you today,” her mother says, so calm it’s kind of creepy. It doesn’t help that she didn’t blink. 

Max knew better than to ask why. As she heads back down the hall, she stares at Billy’s door before getting ready. 

\---

Max can’t stop thinking of Billy’s absence. After last night’s events, she knows he’s probably laying bed bleeding and aching. The last time Neil was angry with Billy and Billy didn’t turn up the next day—or five days after—they up and moved to Hawkins in just a few weeks. How didn’t she notice before what is so clear to her now? Then again, Billy and Neil made damn good sure no one knew. Even so, there were signs. One of her first hints was Billy’s newfound obsession over her and whereabouts since moving to Hawkins. Billy didn’t give a rat’s ass about what Max did before, just dropped her off where she said she wanted to go. He didn’t know who her friends were and certainly didn’t attack them. Of course it was Neil’s orders the whole time! Well maybe if Billy wasn’t such a dick about it, she’d have noticed sooner. But somehow she feels that that conclusion isn’t very fair. 

“Maxine!”

Max is startled out of her thoughts by Mrs. Johnson, her English teacher. “Y-yes ma’am?” she answers, still a little dazed. “Paragraph three. Read it.”

Max begins, but doesn’t miss the weird looks she’s getting, namely from Dustin who is trying to mouth to her as she’s reading. She gives a cheeky thumbs up because, knowing Dustin, she already knows he’s calling a meeting to order at lunch. 

\---

“Ok! I’ve called you all to this meeting in order to hash out the distinctly bizarre and, quite frankly, disturbing behaviors and events that have occurred in the past eighteen hours, i.e, Max and her asshole brother,” Dustin begins, ignoring, as always, the disgruntled looks from his peers. 

“Come on man, this is our only break-” Lucas starts but he’s cut off by a surprisingly very angry red head. 

“Leave him alone! You don’t know shit about him. I get that he’s been an absolute d-bag in the past but he’s apologized and, more importantly, he’s cleaned up his act. So stop judging him cause you don’t know shit!”

“WHOA!!! Call down Poison Ivy! Your toxins are seeping out of your eyes,” that got a chuckle out of Will and El and a very wide, gaping mouth from Max. 

“I was going to suggest that such bizarre and disturbing behavior should not be accepted and propose we give Billy a chance to be in the group.”

The occupants in the closet of the middle school were silent. They’re staring at Dustin with little doe eyes. 

“What?” Dustin asks, genuinely confused. 

“Out of everyone here, you hate him the most,” Mike says, still stunned. 

“Yeah, never thought you’d be the one proposing this,” Will pipes up. 

“Well, I have my moments of unprecedented and unmatched compassion and empathy.”

The room rolls their eyes. 

“So it’s settled, we invite Billy to Friday night dinner,” Max inquired making sure she locked eyes with and got a nod from everyone in the room. 

Having that conversation with Billy would be...interesting. And if Billy said yes, that would be...very interesting. 

\---

Max gets home and there’s still no Billy. She wanted so badly to make sure he was ok. To ask him if he needed anything. To just be there to comfort him and tell him she was sorry. She knew his beating—wow she finally said it...well...she technically she thought it, but the point is, she finally admitted what it was—was her fault. If Neil hadn’t seen her with Lucas, Billy never would’ve gotten hit. And yet, she was still too chicken shit to go into his room. She couldn’t face him, she couldn’t face _that_. She goes into her room, wills the guilt away, and hopes for better days. 

\---

Friday morning Billy is waiting to drive Max to school. She’s happier than she’s ever been to see him. She wants to run up and wrap him in a giant hug but she knows they’re not there yet. She settles for giving him a giant smile which he attempts to return. But she doesn’t miss the way he grimaces when he pulls his backpack up or when he sits in the car. 

“So there’s the dinner by Joyce tonight,” Max begins.

“Yeah, I know. Seven-thirty as always,” Billy responds, not taking his eyes off the road. 

“Yeah...um...”

“Spit it out kid. What do you want?”

“ _We_ were wondering if you wanna come?” 

She didn’t think it was possible, but Billy’s face became even more neutral. If she didn’t know him better she’d think he blanked out, but Billy never blanked out. He was always alert, always had this readiness about him. 

He coughs. “Um...really?” he asks, disbelievingly. 

“Yeah,” she says, a little too hopeful.

He coughs again. “Yeah, ok. Sure. Yeah,” he babbles, more to himself than the thirteen year old. And there he was, back to that stiff, ready state. Max felt bad for putting him back on edge, of course he’d be nervous about dinner with the party. With Steve and Lucas for sure. But they’d warm up to each other. They just needed time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party has to inform the others that Billy is coming to dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beauties! I apologize for two things. First, that it took me three years to update. Second, this chapter is short as hell. I have two weeks left of classes and then exams so my brain is fried. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter anyway! <3

Billy is pacing his room. Why the fuck did he agree to this? He can’t walk into that house and have a fairytale dinner like they didn’t all hate him. It would be absurd. Maybe Max lied. Maybe she said “we” to get him to agree and when he walks in he’ll be blindsided! No. No no no no. He is _not_ going. And why would they want him there anyway? Sure, his relationship with the little brats was cordial now and he’d driven a couple of them home a time or two. And sure he didn’t torture Steve anymore but none of that warrants a dinner. He flops onto his bed, huffs, and stares at the ceiling. What’s a good excuse for getting out of this? That he planned on bashing his own head in tonight? 

He couldn’t be in there with...him. No way that hop, hipper, hopscotch—whatever fuck his name was—guy is gonna let billy sit peacefully at that table knowing what he had done. Billy is fucked.

\---

“Wait sooo...he actually said yes?” Jonathan asks trying to steer through his shock.

“Dustin actually came up with the idea to invite him? _Dustin_?” Nancy questions, in disbelief.  
Will nods from the backseat. “Yes and yes. I can’t believe it either but I think this will be good for all of us. We can end all this tension and stop acting like Billy is this strange creature under observation. He’s a person and he clearly needs somebody,” Will says, surprising himself even. 

“Yeah maybe,” Nancy agrees, hesitantly. “But it’s still going to be awkward.”

And Will can’t deny _that_.  


\---

  
“Listen, man. And please don’t get upset or freak out or do that weird rambling thing you do when you’re upset or freak out like that time I told you that no sock look wasn’t working for you-”

“It sounds like you’re the one rambling now, Dust,” Steve says, eyes never leaving the road.

“Billy’s coming to dinner tonight,” Dustin rushes out. 

And Steve..Steve doesn’t have much of a reaction at all. For a minute, Dustin thinks he spoke too quickly for Steve to hear him. 

“Okay,” Steve finally says. 

“It was my idea. I’m sorry, man. I just can’t get that game out of my head. That was some serious shit. We all need to stop pretending like we don’t know what happened to him. What’s still happening to him!”

“I’m not upset, man. And you’re right. We should-”

“I mean I know he’s been the royalist douche in the past, but he apologized and hasn’t hurt anyone since. And he clearly has no one and his dad has no right to-”

“Dustin!” Steve shouts to silence the distressed preteen. “Breathe.” Dustin does so. He takes long deep breaths until he’s calm again. “Better?” Steve asks, pulling over when they get to Dustin’s house. The younger male nods. 

“You did the right thing alright. I don’t mind Billy coming. It’ll be really awkward of course, but I don’t hate the guy. I don’t particularly like him but...I don’t hate his guts either? And clearly he needs help. Max might too so...this is a good move.”

“Thanks, man. I’ll see you tonight,” Dustin says getting out of the car. 

“See you tonight,” Steve agrees. 

It’ll be fine right? It’s just Billy. What were they all so scared of?  


\---

  
When Hopper gets home, El is sitting in front of they the tv watching some soap opera.

“Hey kid,” he grunts, kicking the door closed. 

“Hey,” she responds, not looking away from the tv. 

“Have you been sittin’ in front of that thing all day?” Hop asks, eyebrow quirked. 

El doesn’t respond. 

“I’m gonna throw thing out if you keep this up.” He always says it, but he never means it. 

As Hop heads to his to room, El says, “Billy’s coming to dinner.”

Hop stops in his tracks, turns, and places his hands on his hips. 

“Really?” he says, sounding more surprised than he wanted. 

“Yeah,” El says distantly.

“And you all are okay with that? _All_ of you are okay with that? Because I told you guys the night of the game that I’d find a way to handle-” he stops himself and El quirks _her_ eyebrow this time. “ _Help_. I’d find a way to help him without gettin’ you guys involved.”

“It’s okay. Everyone’s okay,” El assures.

“Alright,” Hop huffs. “Billy’s coming to dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooh suspense. Harringrove content is coming very soon I promise! Find me on tumblr @harringrovefics and @maccircle


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy and Max prepare to go to the dinner and Billy flashes back to the beginning of his anger management journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no excuse for why I haven't updated in 84 years. Sorry peeps. Anywhore hope you all like this short ass chapter. Leave me comments please.

Billy flushes the toilet. Great, he’s gonna have to brush his teeth again. His stomach grumbles as he grabs for his toothbrush. Why the hell is he nervous anyway? He’s been around them since that night. He’s lives with Max. He’s co captains with Steve. He sits diagonal from Byers in English. He’s driven most of the brats home at this point. But he’s never faced all of them at once. He feels like he’s about to walk into a lion’s den. 

Half an hour later and Max is ready and Billy hasn’t got the nerve to stall or make an excuse of why he can’t go, he remembers the last time he felt this on edge. When he was so wired that it reached the tips of his fingers. When he felt like a caged animal. “Breath Billy,” he tells himself. 

\---

“Breath, Billy.”

Billy took a deep breath in through his nose, held it for about five seconds, and then breathed it out _slowly_ through his mouth. 

“Keep breathing.”

He did as he was told and repeated his breaths. He remembers when they first started. Him and the school counselor. How these breathing exercises made him feel stupid. How they made him feel even more on edge. He’s always had a problem with keeping still. With letting the silence come in because that’s when his thoughts came _out_. How he jumped off the couch, screaming, “This shit doesn’t work!” fists balled at his side and veins kissing his forehead. It was easier to get himself worked up than to calm himself down. 

“I thought you said you wanted help, Billy.”

“I do, but this ain’t workin’.”

“No, _this_ is forcing to feel something other than anger. This is forcing you to deal with yourself in ways that you’ve had to before. You want to be like your old self again?”

“Yes.”

“Was your old self this quick to anger? Or did he feel scared, lonely, unloved? Did he allow himself to cry?”

Billy just stared at her. Why did he pour his heart out to this woman he barely knew anyway? 

“You said it yourself, you have become the person you hate the most-”

“I’m not like him,” he cuts her off.

“Yes, you are,” she cuts him off right back. 

“The way you are behaving, the way you feel things, the way you internalize things, the way those feelings and internalized emotions manifest themselves. You are just like him and exactly the person he’s always wanted you to be. You came here because you understood that. You came here because you wanted to fix that. Now if you’re feeling differently, then you can leave. Only _you _can change you, Billy. I can’t do it for you. _You_ have to want to change in order for it to happen. And it starts with these breathing exercises for you to control your anger. Do you really want to change, Billy? Or do you just not want to hate yourself anymore? I can help you do both. But this is a ninety to ten ratio. What happens in this office means nothing if you don’t put it into practice in your life. What do you want, Billy?”__

__It had taken him two weeks to return after that read but he came back and did the breathing exercises and he started the stupid journal and he apologized to the brats and to Harrington and things were actually going pretty well. He forgot what it was like to not have all that anger filling him up. He used to see the world in red but as of late, it was a clear, icy blue. His head didn’t hurt from thinking so much and from trying to find distractions and trying to hide all at the same time. He was still afraid of the quiet but he had a much less hostile relationship with it than he did previously._ _

__Billy continues his breathing exercises until he feels calm to exit the bathroom._ _

__He comes face to face with Max when he does. And she calls Lucas a stalker._ _

__“You ready to go?” she asks, raising an eyebrow and skepticism saturating her voice._ _

__“Yeah, yeah. I’m ready,” Billy says, already walking to the door so that he can’t try to talk himself out of it._ _

_\---_

__  
The drive to the Byers’ is quiet and anxiety-ridden. Billy isn’t even playing music. He’s just trying to focus on keeping the wheel straight with his shaking, sweaty hands.

__Max almost feels like this was a mistake. Maybe she shouldn’t have bombarded Billy with a bunch of people. Let alone people he has a...history with. She and Billy are barely on speaking terms past her asking for rides. Of course he isn’t comfortable with this. She’s pretty sure no one is comfortable with this. But, seeing as the Byers’ house is in full view, there is definitely no turning back now._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Let me know your thoughts. Next chapter is the dinner and some actual Billy and Steve interaction I swear. I never intended for this story to be so long but here we are I guess. Follow me on tumblr @harringrovefics and @maccircle

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoyed! Find me on tumblr @harringrovefics and @maccircle


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